Trap nest



g- 1929- R. M. EDINGTON ,337

TRAP NEST Filed Oct. 12. 1927 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT EDINGTON, OF VINELAND, NEW JERSEY.

TRAP NEST.

Application filed October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,733.

claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view ot a nest embodying my invention, showing the door closed.

Figure 2 is a'vertical tront-to-rear section, showing the door set for a trapping action.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the door in an intermediate position and as released for a,closing action by the entrance of a hen.

Figure 4; is a view similar to Figures 2 and with the door closed.

Figure 5 is an end View, partlyin section,- otl the lower door section and one of the controlling links in the upraised position of said door section.

Ilteferring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the body of the nest, which is gen orally in the form of a rectangular or oblong rectangular box, and maybe of any desired or convenient size and material, said box being provided at the front with a doorway 2, at the top of which a transverse lintel strip 8 and at the base of which is a transverse tln'eshold strip 4.

The doorway is adapted to be closed by a folding trap door comprising an upper door section 5 and a lower door section 6, made, oi wood, sheet metal or other SUitSLblGiHEk terial. The upper door section 5 is supported at its upper edge by a rod 7, whereby it is hingedly mounted upon. the body to swing inwardly from and outwardly toward a vertical position in which it substantially closes the upper half oi the doorway. The lower door section 6 is pivotally connected at its upper ed by eyes 8 to the upper door section. 5 adjacent to but at a little distance above the lower edge 9 Oil: said upper door section. This lower edge 9 of the upper door section is thus left'itree to project below the normally upper edge of the door section 6. when the door sections are folded in parallel relation, as shown in Figure 2, in which they are set for a releasing and trapping action, against which edge 9 the back of the hen will brush when the hen enters the nest the said edge 9 thus serving as a trip portion for the releasing action, as here-inai' tor described. Such an arrangement of the pivotal connection between the door sections 5 and 6 also provides for a substantial lapping oi the upper portion of the door section '6 against the lower portion of the door section 5 when the door is closed, as shown in Figure l, to reinforce the door and obviate any liability of the hinge connection between the door sections breaking under pressure of the body of the hen seeking to escape from the nest. 1

Both door sections are of a length less than the width of the doorway 2, and on pins or pivot members 10 projecting from the end edges otthe doorway section 6, ad jacent to the lower edge thereof, are pivoted the outer ends of links 11, which are arranged at opposite sides of the body '1 and are pivoted at their inner ends, as indicated at 12, to the end walls of the body substantially in the horizontal plane of the pivots 8 in the fully open or cloned position of the door sections, which links control the swinging movements of the door sections and retain the door sections in open and closed positions and are movable vertically, in their swinging motions, in the spaces between the end edges of the door sections and the sides of the doorway 2. I

Figures 1 and 4: show the closed position of the door sections, from which it will be noted that the sections 5 and 6 lie in parallel vertical planes and substantially close the space between the lintel and threshold strips 3 and 4. In this position of the door sections the links 11 incline from their pivots 12 at a downward and forward angle toward their pivots 10, said links thus lying on one side of, i. 0., below the horizontal plane oi the pivots l2 and thus acting as retainers resisting any forward or outward D'lOVGlHOlll) of the door. This resistance is supplemented by the lapping engagement oi? the upper portion of the door section 6 with the lower portion of the door section 5, which prevents any possibility of the door breaking inwardly at the pivotal connection 8 and allowing upward movement of the door sections under pressure of the trapped hen seeking to escape through the doorway, the links 11 therefore preventing outward movement of the door sections and the lapping engagement inward movement of the door sections under pressure from the hen while the parts of the door are arranged in the closed position shown in Figures 1 and l.

Figure 2 shows the doorset in open position to allow the hen to enter the nest, while Figure 3 shows the door in the intermediate position it assumes after it has been tripped by a hen and at or just prior to its moment of release by the hen for a closing action. In setting the door to the position shown in Figure 2 from the closed position shown in Figures 1 and at, the operator exerts rearward pressure from the front against the door section 5 to swing it upwardly and rearwardly, in which operation the door breaks inwardly at the pivots 8 which are raised to a horizontal plane above that of the pivots 12, so that a continued inward movement of the door section 5 will cause the door section 6 and links 11 to swing upwardly and rearwardly until the parts reach the position shown in Figure 2. In this position of the parts the door section 6 swung upwardly or caused to fold against the front of the door section 5, so that the door sections lie in abutting relation and the links 11 are brought to an up wardly and forwardly.inclined position in which the pivotal connections 10 lie close to and just below the plane of the pivot T, the links thus being brought to lie above the horizontal plane of the pivots 8 and 12 and thereby so disposed as to act as retainers opposing a resistance against any casual inward or outward swinging movements of the door sections from shocks or jars or any outward movement of door section 6 required for a closing movement of the door as long as the parts. lie in such position. The hen entering the nest steps upon the threshold strip 4 and as she enters her back brushes against the trip edge 9 of the door section 5, with the result that under positive pressure the door section 5 is swung inwardly and the door section 6 outwardly, while the links 11 are swung outwardly and downwardly, carrying downwardly with them the door section 6, thus bringing the parts to the position shown in Figure 3, from which they drop by gravity to the position shown in Figure 41-, thus closing the door and trapping the hen.

It is obvious that the construction described provides a very simple type of door and controlling means which may be made strong and durable, and yet of very light weight, so that it may be easily swung "iiwardly by the hen entering the nest without the necessity of the hen exerting undue pressure and without liability of injury to the hen. Also it will be seen that when the door is released by the hen it will positively and reliably move by gravity to a closed position, and that when in such position cannot possibly be forced open by pressure of the entrapped hen seeking to escape, so that the hen will be positively confined in the nest until she is released by manually opening the door. The sinn ilicity of the structure also adapts the device to be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost, and it will be obvious, of course, that doors of this character may be applied to single nests or multiple nests. Furthermore, the door structure is such that it may be applied to nests already in use in a simple and convenient manner and without the necessity of modifying the construction of the nests.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. A trap nest comprising a body having a doorway, door consisting of an upper section hinged to the body, and a lower section hinged to the upper section so as to fold upward against the upper section, and links pivotally connected at their inner ends to the body and at their outer ends to the free edge of the lower door section, the points of pivotal connection of the links with the body being in a horizontal plane between the horizontal planes of their points of connecti on with the lower door section in the folded and unfolded positions of the latter.

2. A trap nest comprising a body having a doorway, a door consisting of an upper section hinged at its upper edge to the body and a lower section adapted to fold upward parallel with the upper section and hinged at its upper edge to the upper section adjacent to but above the lower edge of the latter, and links pivotally connected to the lower portion of the lower door section and to the body in a horizontal plane lying between the planes occupied by such portion of the lower door section in the folded and unfolded positions of the latter.

3. A trap nest comprising a body having a doorway, a door consisting of an upper section hinged at its upper edge to the body and a lower section l'iinged at its upper edge to the upper section adapted to fold upward parallel with the upper section and. both of said door sections being of a length less than the width of the doorway, and links hinged at their outer ends to the end edges of the lower door section adjacent to the lower edge of the latter and at their inner ends to the body at a levelbetwcen the levels occupied by said outer ends of the links in the folded and unfolded positions of the lower door section, said links being movable in the spaces between the end edges of the. door sections and the sides of the doorway:

4. A trap nest comprising a body having a doorway, a door consisting of an upper section hinged at its upper edge to the body and a lower section adapted to fold upward parallel with the upper section and hinged at its upper edge to the upper section adjacent to butt above the lower edge of the latter, both of said door sections being of a length less than the width of the doorway, and links hinged at their outer ends to the end edges of the lower door section adjacent to the lower edge of the latter and at their inner ends to the body at a level between the levels occupied by said outer ends of the links in the folded and unfolded positions of the lower door section, said links being movable in the spaces between the endedges of the door sections and the sides of the doorway.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROBERT M. EDINGTON. 

